Business Community Condemns 'Opposition's Yellow Envelope Law Push' in National Assembly... "A Malicious Law That Destroys the Economy"

Economic 6 Organizations and Industry Groups Rally on the 1st
"Ignoring the Cries from Industrial Sites"

The business community has condemned the opposition party for attempting to forcibly pass the amendment to the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act (the Yellow Envelope Act).

On the 1st, six major economic organizations including the Korea Employers Federation (KEF), the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Korea Economic Association, the Korea International Trade Association, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, and the Korea Federation of Medium-sized Enterprises, along with sector-specific organizations, held a rally against the Yellow Envelope Act on the steps in front of the National Assembly main building with Kim Hyeong-dong, a member of the People Power Party.

Sector-specific organizations participating included the Korea Automobile Mobility Industry Association, the Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Plant Association, the Korea Construction Association, the Korea Iron & Steel Association, the Korea Petroleum Association, the Korea Machinery Industry Promotion Association, and the Korea Federation of Textile Industries. Approximately 200 people attended.

Employees of the Korea Employers Federation and five other economic organizations, along with the Economic Organizations Council, are holding an "Economic Community Resolution Rally Opposing the Amendment of the Labor Union Act" on the steps in front of the National Assembly Main Building on the 1st. Lee Dong-geun, the full-time vice chairman of the Korea Employers Federation (center in the photo), is giving a speech.
[Photo by Korea Employers Federation]

The business community stated, "The Yellow Envelope Act is a harmful law that will destroy our companies and economy," adding, "It legitimizes labor disputes by subcontractor unions against primary contractors and excessively protects extreme illegal labor actions by unions." They further condemned, "We strongly denounce the opposition party for ignoring the cries from industrial sites and forcibly pushing through this harmful amendment that endangers the national economy based on political calculations."

The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party of Korea, had announced their intention to forcibly pass the Yellow Envelope Act during the plenary session in the afternoon. The amendment includes provisions to strengthen the primary contractor's responsibility for subcontracted workers, expand the scope of labor disputes, and limit companies' claims for damages against striking workers.

In response, the business community has continuously voiced concerns that if the amendment passes, domestic small and medium subcontractors will face a wave of bankruptcies. They emphasized that industries composed of hundreds of subcontractors, such as automobile, shipbuilding, and construction, will find it difficult for primary contractors to respond to subcontractor union demands or strikes, ultimately leading to severed business ties, relocation overseas, and construction halts.

Employees of the Korea Employers Federation and five other economic organizations, along with the Economic Organizations Council, are holding an "Economic Community Resolution Rally Opposing the Amendment of the Labor Union Act" on the steps in front of the National Assembly Main Building on the 1st.
[Photo by Korea Employers Federation]

The business community argued that the Yellow Envelope Act, by limiting liability for damages related to union labor disputes, will cause significant turmoil in industrial sites due to labor-management conflicts.

They warned, "If the amendment passes and claims for damages are blocked, industrial sites will become lawless zones," adding, "If illegal strikes that can halt entire factories occur frequently across all industries, companies will no longer be able to continue their operations."

The business community stated, "The amendment will destroy labor-management relations, shake the industrial ecosystem to its roots, and threaten jobs for future generations," and urged, "The legislative push for this amendment must be stopped to at least prevent the collapse of companies and the economy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.